Tropical Storm Arthur disaster recovery

Following the impact of Tropical Storm Arthur, disaster assistance programs have been activated for residents and local governments in Louisiana and Mississippi.

In Louisiana, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits for eligible households in Avoyelles, St. Landry, St. Tammany, and Terrebonne parishes. Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein noted that “recovering from a disaster doesn't end when the storm passes,” stating that eligibility is based on income and documented expenses incurred between June 17 and July 16.

Further assistance has been authorized in Mississippi, where the Department of Employment Security announced disaster unemployment assistance for residents of Hancock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Stone counties. This aid targets individuals whose employment was lost or interrupted by the storm, which officials estimate damaged 532 homes, 17 businesses, and five farms.

In Louisiana, FEMA has approved East Feliciana Parish for Public Assistance to assist local governments and nonprofits with debris removal and infrastructure restoration. Additionally, residents in several parishes, including Avoyelles, Lafourche, and Pointe Coupee, have until October 1 to apply for Individual Assistance.